May 7, 2022
Today we hear a rare Combat Story from a long-time Delta Force
Commander and operator, Pete Blaber, who served in Iraq,
Afghanistan, Bosnia, Somalia, Colombia, and Panama.
Call to Action: For former military, government and law
enforcement, if you're looking for a high paying and meaningful
job, check out our Trust & Safety Institute.
Pete is an understated, humble, and soft spoken warrior leader who
applies a commonsense approach to all of his decisions, to include
those in combat. His decision to join the military came from
studying centuries of warfare and how seemingly brilliant leaders
made senseless decisions and wanting to avoid making the same
mistakes.
He spent most of his career in the special operations side of the
Army from Ranger Battalion to Delta Force and then, after retiring,
took on a role as a senior leader in a multi-billion dollar tech
company.
He has since written two books (The Mission, The Men, and Me:
Lessons from a Former Delta Force Commander, and, more recently,
The Common Sense Way: A New Way to Think About Leading and
Organizing) that share the lessons he learned from leading in some
of the most historic and high intensity conflicts in the past 35
years.
I hope you enjoy this humble, understated, and unique perspective
into the life and thinking of a Tier 1 operator and officer as much
as I did.
Find Pete Online:
The Common Sense Way: A New Way to Think About Leading and
Organizing
The Mission, The Men, and Me: Lessons from a Former Delta Force
Commander
Instagram @blaberpete
Find Ryan Online:
Trust & Safety Institute - Jobs/Careers, News, Training,
Policies
Patreon Community
Combat Story Merch
Ryan’s Linktree
Instagram @combatstory
Learn more about Ryan
Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle
Show Notes
0:00 - Intro
0:55 - Guest Introduction (Pete Blaber)
2:02 – Introducing The Trust & Safety Institute
2:54 - Interview begins
3:14 - Childhood and the origins of the common sense
perspective
7:16 - Being obsessed with military history as a kid and the impact
it had
22:12 - Using notes from when he was deployed or in service to
write his books
28:19 - If the military wasn't an option, what would you have
done?
31:50 - Story of navigation skills at work trying to escape a
wild animal in pursuit
46:37 - Path including Ranger Battalion, Infantry Offer, and
Delta
49:29 - Combat Story #1 - First time in combat in Panama as a
company commander in the military five years
1:05:33 - Formative time with Rangers and how it informed tactics
as Company Commander and later with the Unit
1:10:05 - Combat Story #2 - Afghanistan mission from a leadership
perspective
1:28:56 - The most rewarding point along the journey
1:38:38 - What did you carry into combat?
1:40:02 - Would you do it all again?
1:43:11 - Help connect those who served with meaningful and great
paying jobs after service
1:45:49 - Listener comments and shout outs